


5 Times Tony Didn't Like Being Handed Things

by Squibbles94



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst and Fluff, BAMF Pepper Potts, Fluff, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Pepper Potts is done with Tony's shit, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, t for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squibbles94/pseuds/Squibbles94
Summary: And 1 time he didn't mind at all.~Completing this for a prompt that was given in a group chat on Tumblr. It was an AMAZING idea and I'm so happy to share this with everyone.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 32
Kudos: 454





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies!!
> 
> Here is my first 5+1 things fic. I was in a group chat and we were talking about how Tony Stark didn't like to be handed things and how that would work with Peter. 
> 
> So. Because I'm extra as hell I decided to make this a 5+1 thing. So. Here you go!
> 
> Enjoy!!
> 
> I never thought I would have to write this but: Please don't repost my work on any other site without my permission.

For as long as he remembered, Tony didn't like being handed things. It was something that had plagued him since he was a young teenager, much to everyone's irritation. Through the years, he figured out ways around that particular quirk in the form of those he trusted. It was slightly harder when none of them were around to act as a mediator between him and the person who was often blindsided by this particular habit of his.

When Pepper first started working for him, he had the woman place everything on the table and slide it in his direction. The look she gave him the first time it was requested was enough to send Tony's insides squirming. He knew it wasn't a typical request, but after so many years of Rhodey and Happy taking care of him with regards to things being handed to him, he had gotten used to the request being met with understanding gazes. Ever since that first day, Pepper automatically placed the papers she needed him to sign on the table in front of him without question. 

Then it all came to a head at a conference in Orlando, where he was bombarded with cards and offered drinks. Pepper was busy running interference, and there were no surfaces for her to set things down to give him. Most of the drinks were being refused, which made the potential investors difficult to please. 

Finally, she flashed a smile at the guests and pulled him into the hallway as discreetly as she could. When they were out of sight and earshot, Pepper rounded on him. "Tony, I need you to take the cards and drinks that are being offered by the millionaires that could potentially be assets. I can't juggle these forms, answer questions, schedule meetings that everyone is asking for, be pleasant, and make sure your ego is intact because you can't take anything from people. You're Iron Man. Grow up."

Tony knew Pepper was stressed out, and she never ceased to put him in his place. Though, it had never been in a public setting like this. So, instead of snapping at her, Tony squinted slightly and pursed his lips. "I can't. It's a peeve."

Deflecting had never been an issue for him. Since he was young, he was able to read a room and assess the chances of being taken seriously. Mostly, he had his father to thank for that. He could tell almost instantly that Howard was in a bad mood when he came home from school based on how much alcohol he smelled wafting off the man. 

It was times like those that he plastered a confident smirk on his face and tried to anger the man anyway he could. It was better than the sting of rejection or the bite of Howard's words that seemed to find Tony frequently. It was the only way he knew how to protect himself. 

"Tony," Pepper snapped. 

"Pep, I can't," he muttered.

Immediately, Pepper's demeanor softened slightly. "Tony, I know it freaks you out. I just need some help here. I can't make sure your company has investors when you refuse to act like a normal person."

"I thought that was part of my charm," he joked.

Pepper shook her head slightly. "I'm serious. I need you to trust me, or this is never going to work."

Tony swallowed thickly. He knew she was trying and that he needed to give her something, so he pushed down the warning bells that flashed through his head and made a decision. "Pep, I can't take anything from anyone. I just...I can't. But if you wanted to, I can take the drinks from you. Just make it look natural, so I don't offend anyone."

Pepper seemed to think about this. It was evident she still wasn't pleased with his decision. "Fine. I'll do it on one condition."

"Yes, I'll sign an autograph for your cat," Tony said with a smirk. 

Pepper leveled him with a stare. "You need to tell me why this is such a big deal for you. Not right now," she said before he could interrupt her, "but I need to understand."

Tony nodded slightly. "Will that be all, Ms. Potts?" he asked.

"That's all, Mr. Stark," Pepper said with a smirk. "Let's go back in there before they start any rumors."

"I mean, we could give them a reason to talk," Tony smirked playfully, quirking his eyebrow. 

Pepper simply rolled her eyes and headed back in, leaving the man in the hallway with a broad smile on his face. Tony didn't know what he did to deserve Pepper, but he was glad the universe took pity on him and gave him someone who wasn't afraid to knock him down a peg. He even found that he didn't mind getting yelled at by Pepper, which was crazy. 

Tony knew he needed to make sure the rest of the conference went off without a hitch, so he straightened his tie, painted a smile on his face, and walked back into the room with his head held high. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> I decided to give you two chapters at the same time. I have the next chapter written and the rest of the story brainstormed, so this should be updated fairly quickly. 
> 
> Enjoy!

For a long time, the only people Tony was comfortable enough with to take things from them were Happy, Rhodey, and Pepper. Then Peter came into his life at a time when his trust was broken enough to cause nightmares and lasting trauma. At first, he kept the kid at a distance, not being ready to let anyone else in. He was okay with only three people being in his sphere of trust, after all, it was more than some people had.

Then, the Vulture happened, and Tony almost had a heart attack when he found out the kid almost died. He started having him over to the lab every once in a while for suit upgrades because Tony hated the idea of Peter running around without any protection. Then, it was every other week, like clockwork. Then, for reasons Tony didn't understand, it was once a week. 

There was something about Peter that got under Tony's skin. The kid wormed his way into Tony's heart, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for the teenager. He would listen for hours as Peter talked about his school and his friends. He didn't even mind that he needed to turn down his music so he could hear the boy prattle on. 

The only cause of tension came when Tony was doing things and needed tools. For a while, he was able to skirt around the issue of being handed things. He would go out of his way to walk across the lab for the tools he needed or made sure he had everything he needed before starting his work. 

Tony sat in the lab listening to Peter talk about MJ as Tony worked on a new model of Stark Phone. He smiled a little when he heard Peter stutter, yet again, when he was describing what MJ wore to school that day. 

"Kid, why don't you just ask her out already?" Tony asked, looking around his desk for the wire he needed.

"Mr. Stark! What? I don't...why-why would I ask her out? I mean, she wouldn't say yes, you know, even if I wanted to, which I don't." Peter stammered, his cheeks turning a soft shade of red as he tried to deflect. 

"Well, you'll never know until you ask. I can almost guarantee that she'll say yes." 

Tony remembered how crushes were, especially as a teen. He mostly kept them to himself when he was younger, but not always. He remembered the time he actually told his father that he was interested in a girl. Howard just looked at him as if he were insignificant and thrust his empty cup at the boy with a gruff "fill this up" before returning to his blueprints. 

Tony never mentioned liking a girl to his father again.

He couldn't explain the feeling that settled in his chest when Peter first told him about Michelle. The kid looked flushed, and his words tumbled out of his mouth faster than it could form the words. Tony knew their relationship was progressing to the point that he enjoyed knowing things about Peter, but he didn't realize he was important enough to the boy to hear about his crushes. Peter hadn't even told May about Michelle, Tony found out when he let it slip to the woman. 

Tony wasn't used to being trusted with information like this, and it made his mouth go slightly dry when he realized he couldn't open up to Peter in the same way. 

Instead, Tony shifted his attention back to his work after throwing an encouraging smile at Peter. He needed to find the wire that connected to the base of the phone. Tony shifted some papers around, sure the wire was there a second ago. "Hey, kid. Have you seen that blue wire I had over here?"

Peter snapped his head up and said, "um yeah. I thought I saw it over by the monitor on my desk a few minutes ago." Peter shifted around some of the chemicals he was using to look for it. "Oh, here it is," he said, with a level of accomplishment. 

Tony watched as the teen jogged slightly over to him with the wire clasped in his fingers. When Tony realized what he was trying to do, the man felt himself grow tense. He knew there was going to be a moment when Peter was going to try to give him something, and he was going to need to think fast. Tony didn't want to make Peter think he didn't care about him, because he did. He wanted to let the kid in completely, but there was still a part of him that was hesitant. 

How could he explain that years of trauma decided to show itself in the form of eccentricity and small quirks that were widely deemed irregular to normal people? He liked Peter, but he couldn't even begin to go into that side of himself. It had taken years for Tony to get to the point where he felt comfortable talking to Pepper about why he didn't like to take things from people. 

Still, Peter was trying to help. "Thanks, kid. Go ahead and put it on the table here. I just need it in a few minutes," Tony ended up saying. He tried to give Peter an encouraging smile, so the boy wouldn't think that anything was wrong. 

Peter simply set the wire down and flashed a smile at his mentor. "Got it. What are you doing, Mr. Stark? Can I help? I think it would be so cool to work on things for SI. Only if you think it's okay, that is," Peter rambled. 

Tony's heart clenched slightly at the kid's words. There was no way he deserved someone like Peter in his life. Still, he was glad Peter didn't notice his hesitation. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Here’s the next chapter. It’s the longest yet because I couldn’t help myself. 
> 
> There is a small trigger warning for this one. It will be in the endnotes for those of you who would like to know.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Hey, Mr. Stark!" Peter's voice came from the hallway.

Tony turned from the cutting board that he was working with and caught sight of the teenager. He smiled widely as Peter practically bounced toward the kitchen with the dopey grin he loved so much. "Well, hey there, Underoos. Anything interesting happen at school today?"

"Oh, you know, just the normal things. I had a test in chemistry today that I'm pretty sure I aced. Mr. Harrington couldn't remember where he put his glasses even though they were on the top of his head. And, I uh, I asked MJ out." 

That made Tony pause. He turned to the boy and gave him a soft smile that seemed to only be reserved for Peter in recent weeks. "Really?"

Peter ducked his head slightly and ran a hand across the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. I-I did. She...well, she said yes."

"I knew she would," Tony said, walking over to Peter and clapping the kid on the back. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at his kid. 

Tony was glad Peter had listened to him about MJ. Honestly, he was so proud of the kid for speaking up. Tony would never have had the courage when he was Peter's age to ask a girl on a proper date. It was something he only started doing when he was older. When there was no one left to seek advice from. 

Something constricted in Tony's chest when he realized Peter was waiting to tell him about asking MJ out, and he knew he needed to react accordingly. So, he said the only thing he could think of, "now, I'm sure May has already had this conversation with you, but I feel that I need to just make sure. You know, when I was younger, I went to a lot of parties and went on a lot of dates."

"Mr. Stark," Peter tried to interrupt.

"I know when there's a girl that you might want to, you know, be with, you don't always think clearly. That's okay, but it's important that you're always safe."

"Oh my God, Mr. Stark," Peter practically squeaked. 

"Hey no judgment here, but if you ever need protection before you go on a date with the scary one, I'd be happy to-"

"Mr. Stark, please stop talking," Peter begged. His entire face was red with embarrassment, and he wasn't looking Tony in the eye. "We aren't...I mean, I've never...and anyway, Ben already talked to me about all this."

"It never hurts to hear it again, kid. Just be careful. That's all I'm saying."

Peter looked like he wanted to be having any other conversation than the one they were having. His eyes roamed the room and settled on the cutting board. "What are you making, Mr. Stark?"

"Ah. I decided that since you are always hungry, I would cook some dinner before we get started with everything."

"Cool. Um, it doesn't have any peppermint in it, right?"

"Nope. I'm cooking up some carbonara. You like pasta, right?"

Peter looked mildly surprised. "Yeah. It's good to fill up on when I'm low on calories. I didn't know you could cook." 

"It was just something my mom showed me before she passed. I can only cook a few things well. I burn eggs, but I can make a mean smoothie."

Peter chuckled at that. "You know that making a smoothie isn't really cooking, right, Mr. Stark?"

"Hush, you heathen, or I'll make sure your pasta accidentally gets spilled on the floor."

"It might make it taste better," Peter quipped. 

"You know what? Just for that, I'm not going to make the garlic bread for you."

A panicked look flew across Peter's face. "I take that back. I was just joking. Come on, Mr. Stark, don't make me beg." 

Tony paused and pretended to think about it, loving the way Peter's eyebrows scrunched up and the puppy eyes he was throwing. "I guess I can still make it. I just need to get the stuff out of the fridge and then finish chopping up this meat."

Tony turned away from the cutting board and made his way over to the fridge. He grabbed the eggs and cheese needed for the dish and turned around to see Peter with the knife in his hand. The kid was trying to cut the pork, and his tongue was clenched between his teeth in concentration. 

"Hey, kid. What do you think you're doing? Your aunt would kill me if you got hurt. Let me do that. You can crack these eggs in a bowl and measure out the cheese. Deal?"

Peter let out a small huff. "Fine. Here you go, Mr. Stark," Peter said as he held the knife out to the man with the handle pointing towards Tony. 

Tony was struck with the memory of trying to help his mom with cooking when he was a child. She let him gather ingredients and measure out most of the food, but when it came to cutting anything, she just smiled and said she had it. Tony never argued with her, knowing that he wasn't old enough to use a knife in a way that would be useful. Tony was always content with watching his mom actually prepare everything. 

Thankfully, his father was hardly around when he was in the kitchen with his mother. The last time they made dinner together, Tony was about thirteen, and Howard had come home early. 

"What's Anthony doing in the kitchen?" he asked. 

Maria plastered a smile on her face and said, "he's helping me with dinner, dear. It should be done soon."

"I don't really care about the dinner. I care that he's going to mess up the kitchen. The boy doesn't know how to use tools responsibly, why would you trust him with a knife?

Maria placed a gentle kiss against Tony's cheek and whispered, "why don't you run along and get washed up for dinner?"

Tony nodded to his mother and turned to head out of the kitchen. Before he could leave, Howard blocked his way. 

"No son of mine is going to work in a kitchen. If I catch you in there again trying to do a woman's job, you won't be able to sit for a week."

"Yeah, at least I know how to cook instead of expecting everyone else to bow down and do everything for me," Tony snapped. 

"What did you just say?" Howard asked heatedly. "I can do more in one minute than you can in an hour in the lab. Don't test me, son, or you might find someone else leading this company."

"Please. I can do anything that you can. I know every tool in the lab and every use for them."

"You don't deserve to be in my lab. You know what? You should stay in the kitchen with your mother. It's the only place you belong. With the women." Howard grabbed the knife that was discarded on the counter next to him and shoved it into Tony's hand. 

Tony felt the slight burn where Howard pressed the blade against his palm. Tony didn't flinch. He wouldn't give the man the satisfaction. Instead, he waited until Howard left the room before looking at the slice on his palm. 

His mother came over to him and gently took his hand. "Remember, baby, always hand someone a knife with the handle pointing towards them. It's a safety thing," Maria told him softly, evaluating the cut on his hand. 

"Mr. Stark?" 

Tony snapped his head up to look at Peter. The kid clearly had been speaking to him, and Tony realized that he zoned out. The knife was still being presented to him, but the thought of taking it made Tony's heartbeat kick up a notch. He didn't know if he could take it, even though it was  _ Peter  _ offering it. The kid would never hurt him, and he knew that, but there was still that underlying fear that if he let Peter too close, it would damage them. 

Tony sniffed lightly and tried not to look guilty. "My hands are kind of full. Why don't you put the knife on the board and take these? I need to grab one more thing anyway."

Peter looked at him quizzically for a moment but put the knife down as instructed. "Mr. Stark, are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Peter seemed to think about this for a second. "I don't know. It's just...nevermind. Let me go crack the eggs." 

Tony knew the kid was catching on to his quirk, and he prayed he would be able to come up with enough excuses before he hurt Peter's feelings. Maybe he would be able to stop his hands from shaking every time the thought of Peter handing him something entered his mind. 

Until then, he took a deep breath and asked Peter where he was going to take Michelle. Thankfully, the question diverted the teen's attention enough to make Peter talk in the rushed fashion that Tony had come to love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: instances of child abuse


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> This one was interesting to write. I had a bit of a time with finishing it, but here it is! 
> 
> Side note: I hate Howard Stark. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

Sitting in his lab, Tony made sure that he was careful to watch the time. He knew the kid was going to be coming into the lab when Happy brought him, but it would be hours before they got there. When he was working on something, there was always the chance that he would get lost in his head. There was more than one occasion when Pepper found him in the lab at six in the morning when she woke up to start her day. He was sure only a couple of hours passed, but Pepper always made sure to mention that he had been in the lab all night. 

So, he made sure he was aware of his surroundings on the days Peter was scheduled to be there. He didn't want the kid to come in when he was in his head and not be acknowledged. Tony couldn't think about what he would do if Peter was left to fend for himself and got hurt while Tony was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Not to mention the fact that Tony never wanted Peter to feel unwanted. 

He was just about to finish coding an update for the new StarkWatch when his music turned down. Tony fought the annoyed growl that he felt in his chest. He couldn’t focus without his music.

"Boss, Peter Parker's school is calling," F.R.I.D.A.Y. said. 

Tony let his hands drop the watch onto the table and his head snapped up. Why would his school call Tony and not May? "Put it through."

"This is Stark," he said by way of greeting. 

"Oh, um. Mr. Stark? This is Pam Wilder calling from Midtown Tech. Your name is second on a student's emergency contact list, and we have a situation."

"Is Peter okay?" Tony felt himself tense with the news that there was something wrong with Peter. When May found out about Spider-Man, it was deemed necessary for Tony to be put on the kid's emergency contact list just in case something happened. Tony was secretly ecstatic about that fact, but he refused to tell anyone. 

"Oh, um, he's okay, mostly. He's not feeling well, and we tried to call his aunt, but we haven't been able to contact her."

Tony sighed. He didn't know what to do with a sick kid, but it couldn't be hard. He took care of himself when he was sick, how could a kid be any different? "Okay, tell him I'm coming to get him. I'll go ahead and leave a message for May, letting her know where he is."

"Thank you, Mr. Stark. We'll see you then. Please bring a form of picture I.D. because it is needed for our records."

Tony made sure to let Pepper know where he was going and asked her to make sure the guest room was ready. He decided to take the least conspicuous car to the school because he knew that was something Peter hated. Never in his life did Tony think he would purposely make himself less conspicuous, but then again, he never cared so much about what someone else thought of him. 

When Tony made it to the school, he took a deep breath and put on his sunglasses. He was there as Peter's emergency contact, but he didn't want anyone to know the depth of their relationship. He needed to make sure no one knew how much he cared for the kid. He could only imagine the complications that would bring. Tony had enemies and if they knew he cared for Peter it could put him in danger. Sunglasses were the easiest way to project the indifferent persona because one thing Tony never learned how to manufacture was the emotion in his eyes. 

As soon as he stepped foot in the office, he could see the doorway to the nurse's office and Peter lying across one of the beds that had terrible paper over it. Tony knew it was because they needed to stop the spread of germs, but some things should not be used as a bed. The kid was lying on his side with his hands wrapped around his head, making a cocoon for himself. 

Tony felt his heart constrict. If he knew one thing about Peter, it was that he tried to downplay everything when it came to being hurt or not feeling well. So, to see him curled up in plain view of adults and calling someone to deliberately tell them that he didn't feel good, told Tony just how bad he felt. 

Going up to the front desk, he told them who he was looking for, and after signing the papers he needed, he finally walked into the nurse's office. Tony gathered Peter's backpack on his shoulder before kneeling down to get a good look at the kid. 

"Pete," he whispered. He didn't want to startle Peter, but he also needed him to wake up. 

All that came out of Peter's mouth was a small groan that made a smile crawl across Tony's lips. "I know, bud. Come on, let's get you to the Tower so you can sleep it off."

Peter still didn't move, but another protest found its way out of the boy. Tony didn't know what possessed him to reach out his hand and thread it into the boy's hair, but he found that the gesture felt right. Natural. 

Peter leaned into the touch and opened his eyes slightly before slamming them shut. "It hurts," he whispered. 

"What hurts?" Tony asked, matching his tone. 

"Stomach. Head."

Tony could work with that. He'd had the flu once or twice growing up, and Pepper had been sick before. If he could handle the knife wounds that Peter came to him with, he could handle an upset stomach and a headache. 

"Okay, kid. Let's get you to a nice, quiet place so you can rest. Come on."

"Where's May?"

"She's at work, kiddo. I'll call her and see if you can just stay at the Tower tonight. I don't think she'll mind. If she does, I can stay with you at the apartment until she gets home."

Peter sat up slowly, with Tony helping him a bit when it looked like he was going to fall over. It was slow going as they walked to the car because Tony made sure to carry most of Peter's weight. It looked like the poor kid was about to fall over if Tony let go of him. 

The car ride to the Tower was silent. Peter told Tony he could play music, but there was no way Tony would do that when Peter was so pale, and his forehead was shiny with sweat. At one point, someone behind them honked their horn, and Peter grabbed his ears tightly, letting out a small whimper. Tony needed to make some kind of headphones to help Peter’s senses and maybe some specialized glasses. He made sure to file the idea in the back of his head for later.

"Okay, kid. We're almost there," Tony soothed. It was something that he thought he wasn't good at, but as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he knew they were right. “How’d you get sick anyway? I thought you had freaky Spider powers that made you invincible or something.”

Peter groaned. “It hasn’t really been working all that well.”

“What hasn’t been working?”

“Healing.”

Tony looked over at Peter with horror shining through his eyes. He knew for a fact that Peter went out for the past week as Spider-Man, and he knew his healing wasn’t working? They were going to have a lengthy talk after Peter got better.

“How, exactly, is that happening?” he asked.

Peter shrugged a bit. “I may have skipped a few meals here and there. Possibly. But it’s fine, Mr. Stark. I’m good. A-okay.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. We’re gonna talk about this later, so don’t think you’re off the hook.”

Peter just nodded his head slightly and whispered, “sorry.”

“You’re lucky I’m not telling your crazy hot aunt that you’ve been starving yourself.” 

Thankfully, Peter didn’t have time to respond because Tony was pulling into the garage of the Tower. He needed to remember to let Happy know that he had the kid and he should just come back to the Tower after he ran his errands. 

Tony carefully led Peter to the spare bedroom near his and Pepper's room. It was something Pepper wanted to put in just in case they had guests. At the time, Tony thought the woman was crazy because everyone they knew either had their own floor or were in hiding, but he was grateful that she ignored him. Once again, he had to say that Pepper was right all along. 

"Okay, kid. Climb in the bed, and I'll get you some water."

Peter didn't acknowledge what Tony said, he just fell on top of the bed, his face pressed into the pillows. Tony knew the poor kid was going to probably wake up with a backache or something, but that was something he would deal with later. A few minutes couldn't hurt that bad. 

"Fri, where's Pepper?" Tony asked his AI. 

"Ms. Potts is returning to the penthouse from a meeting. She should be arriving within a minute."

Almost like clockwork, the elevator dinged, signaling the arrival of Pepper. Tony took the time to gaze at her, feeling his heart stutter in his chest at the way her hair hung down in soft curls. As always, she was immaculate. Her cream suit was perfectly pressed, and her lipstick stood out bright red against her pale skin. Tony would never get over how lucky he was. 

When she spotted him, Pepper stopped. "What?"

"What?" he said, almost too quickly.

Pepper squinted slightly at him. "What did you do? Please tell me you didn't do anything stupid."

Tony pursed his lips slightly and said, "you know, that would hurt my feelings if there weren't any past experiences to back up your concern. But, ouch. I'm wounded."

"Tony," Pepper warned. 

"Okay, so do you remember Peter? Of course you do, he's a joy. His school called and said he was sick. They couldn't get May on the phone, so I kind of went and got him. He's in our guest bedroom, so we're going to need to postpone our meeting this afternoon."

Pepper looked slightly taken aback. "Is that why you looked like you were about to face the firing squad? Did you think I was going to be mad?"

"I didn't really think about it. I knew you wouldn't. But it's okay that I brought Peter here, right?" Tony asked, just to make sure. He could feel the uncertainty bubbling up in his chest that made him feel inadequate for this particular situation. He had never taken care of a sick kid before, and he didn't know what the hell he was doing or if Pepper would be okay with the new role he placed himself in. He didn’t even ask her if it was okay with her that he was mentoring Peter. Not that he needed her permission, but it was something that he wanted her to be on board with.

Pepper's face softened. "Of course, it's okay. Does he need anything?"

"I was just going to get him some water. But I don't know. What do kids need when they are sick? Soup? Some kind of pink medicine or something?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll send Happy to get some supplies. Just go sit with him for a bit. He strikes me as the type to get clingy if he doesn't feel good," Pepper said with a smirk, knowing how Tony hated touching people in general. 

Tony grimaced but headed into the kitchen for the water anyway. He knew there wasn't much he would deny the kid, especially when Peter looked so miserable. Pepper didn’t know it, but Peter had somehow made it into the small circle of people he didn’t mind letting get close, well, physically anyway. Most people would get a handshake at best, but Tony was already comfortable with placing his hand on the kid’s shoulder. He may even be heading into hugging territory, which scared him shitless.

When Tony returned to the room Peter was in, he stopped in the doorway and gazed at the teenager in the bed. He was curled up on his side with his face smashed into the pillow. His arms were haphazardly laid out at his side, and his knees almost touched his chest. He almost resembled a small ball, and Tony's back hurt just looking at the kid. 

Tony remembered times when he would slip into his bed and turn into himself in some mock comfort. He never got what he needed from his father when he was sick. Jarvis was the one that took him water and soup that was warm enough to soothe his throat but not too hot as to burn him. He remembered the man tucking the comforters around him and asking if he needed anything. All Tony wanted for the first few years was someone to sit with him, and Jarvis obliged. Then, Howard found out what Tony was asking, and insisted that Tony learn to self soothe. 

"No son of mine will need to be taken care of. What’ll happen when he is the CEO of the company, and he gets sick? The sooner he learns to deal with it, the better it’ll be," Howard told his mother. Then he explicitly commanded that Jarvis not take care of Tony when he was sick. 

Tony pushed the memory away and stepped into the room. He touched Peter lightly on the shoulder and gently shook the boy. "Pete? Hey, Spider Baby, you need to drink this," Tony whispered. 

Peter mumbled in his sleep slightly and turned toward Tony's voice. "Mr. Stark?" he asked, his voice coming out sluggish. 

"Yeah, kid. I need you to drink this. We can't have you getting dehydrated."

Peter nodded his head slightly and sat up. He took the glass from Tony with a shaking hand. He took a hesitant gulp of the water, and seemed to realize he was actually thirsty. It wasn't long before the entire glass was empty, and Peter was gasping for breath.

"That was good," Peter muttered as he handed the glass out for Tony to take. “Thanks, Mr. Stark.” 

Tony stood frozen for a second. There was a part of him that wanted to just tell Peter that he could put it on the end table next to him, but the way Peter's hand shook made Tony's heart ache for the boy. Tony could feel his palms start to slick with sweat, and he tried to subtly wipe them dry. He didn't want to take the glass. Once Tony accepted the glass, it would cement the fact that Peter could trust Tony. But what if he couldn't? What if Tony hurt him? What if, by taking the glass from Peter, the universe decided that it needed to punish the kid because he was one of the few people Tony trusted? What if he let the kid down? What if Peter lost trust in Tony one day? What if the kid betrayed Tony?

But this was  _ Peter.  _

This was the kid that went out of his way to make sure a turtle didn't get hit by a car. It was the kid who smiled a toothy grin when he saw Tony, even when the man was in a bad mood. This was the kid who tried his hardest to be everything to everyone, even if it went against his self-interest. This was the kid that lost so much in life and still dared to smile and be kind. 

This flitted through Tony's head for a moment before he shook himself out of his thoughts. Peter was worth trusting, and for some reason, the kid felt that Tony could be trusted as well. So, he hesitantly reached out to take the glass and couldn't help the slight shake of his fingers. He just hoped Peter didn't notice. 

"Just...uh. Just get some sleep, kiddo," Tony told him. He wanted to go hide as soon as he could to stem the tide of the thoughts that were turning in his head. The glass in his fingers felt hot to the touch, but he was sure that was just in his head.

"Will you...can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Peter asked, his voice hesitant. It was almost as if he wasn't sure that it was something he could ask of Tony. 

The man didn't say anything, he simply rolled a chair over to Peter's bedside and took a seat. Gently, he placed the glass on the bedside table, feeling the anxiety leak out of him a bit. Tony watched as Peter reached out a hand, and he almost laughed because Pepper was right. The kid was clingy when he was sick. There was a fraction of a second where Tony wanted to pull away and make an excuse, but he didn't have the heart to deny Peter the comfort that he was asking for. Especially when the kid looked like he was a second away from crying. That was something Tony was not prepared for in any universe. So, he sat with Peter, his thumb rubbing small circles on Peter's hand while waiting for the boy to fall asleep. 

Tony was still fighting the voice in his head that screamed at him that he was going to ruin Peter just by being in the same room with him. But there was another part in his brain, which oddly enough sounded like Pepper, that told him taking the glass from Peter wasn't going to be his undoing. It wouldn't make Peter's world crumble. It wouldn't make Tony responsible for the kid because he somehow knew he was way beyond being responsible for the teenager. He knew he was in it for the long haul, and that scared him shitless.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Here is the next chapter. This took way longer than I wanted it to but it's finally here! I am about half way done with the last chapter so that should be out within a week or so. 
> 
> Hope everyone is safe!

Tony walked in to find Pepper sitting at her desk with a concentrated look on her face. It wasn't often that Tony could sneak into the office without Pepper noticing him, but when it happened, he knew she was working on something important. 

"Hey," he said softly, not wanting to startle her. 

Pepper glanced up from her computer and gave Tony a small smile. "Hello, Tony. Any reason you are walking into my office without knocking?"

"Since when did I need to knock? You know, technically, you wouldn't even have this office without me." Pepper raised an eyebrow at Tony. "That's not what I meant. Forget I said that. Hi. How are you doing? Any big plans? No? Good."

"Tony," Pepper said, cutting off Tony's rant. "What's going on?"

Tony shifted on his feet slightly and cleared his throat. "Why would something be going on? Can't I just come say hi to you?"

The way Pepper's lips were able to scrunch while she blinked slowly made Tony's stomach turn. She was one of the few women who could make Tony squirm under their gaze. 

"It's nothing big. It's actually about...Peter," Tony said hesitantly.

"What's wrong with Peter? Do I need to call May?" Pepper asked in alarm. To her credit, most of the time, when Tony was stressed about the kid, it was because Peter got into some type of trouble. 

"He's okay. It's more about me wanting to invite him over to the Tower."

Pepper's eyebrows drew together. "And this would be different than all the other times you invited him over, how?"

"I mean, we don't get a lot done in just one afternoon. There's a lot of projects to work on. I was just thinking...well, I was wondering what you thought about me letting the kid stay for the weekend or something," Tony said. He refused to look at Pepper when he spoke; instead, he fidgetted with the glasses he clutched in his hand. 

Pepper couldn't help the small smirk that broke out on her face. Before she could answer, she was cut off by Tony straightening up and sniffing. 

"It's a stupid idea. Nevermind. I'm gonna be in the lab late tonight, so you probably shouldn't wait up for me," Tony said, before standing up abruptly. 

"You're a moron," Pepper said as she shook her head slightly. 

"What?" Tony was used to being called immature and irresponsible, but no one had ever called him a moron before.

"You heard me. You are probably the dumbest smart person I have ever met." Pepper stood from her desk and rounded the table. Her thin hands slid up his arms. 

Tony felt himself melt against her touch and couldn't help resting his forehead against hers. He swore he would give up every experience he had with the women in his past for just one more moment like this with Pepper. He marveled at the woman that would kick his ass while simultaneously make him feel like he was the most valuable human being on the planet.

"Tony, I know you don't like to let people get close to you-"

"I let people close to me," Tony defended.

Pepper pulled away from him to give him a withering look. "Should we go over how long it took us to get together or how many people you actually take things from?"

"Hey, that's not fair. I was respecting your position by not asking you out until I was sure you couldn't resist me." Tony flashed a suggestive smile. 

"Mhmm. I can count the people you will take things from on one hand, since you conveniently forgot to address that one. There's Rhodey, Happy, and me." Pepper ticked off the people on her fingers as she named them. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing to only let a few people close, but I am saying that it's okay to let another person in. If there's anyone that deserves to be let in, it's Peter. He's good for you, Tony. And I think you're good for him, too."

Tony knew Pepper was right. He was happier when he was around Peter than he had been around anyone who wasn't Hap, Rhodey, or Pep. There was a brightness that Peter brought into a room that Tony realized he thirsted for. The kid always looked at him like he hung the stars, and it was nice to be admired for the man he became without the expectation that he had to do anything for the person. Peter would never ask for a handout, which made Tony want to spoil his kid even more. He wanted to pay for his tuition for college and make sure he had proper clothes. Tony wanted to make sure he was safe, and if anyone hurt Peter, he knew he wouldn't hesitate to fix the situation.

Still, inviting Peter into his life posed some issues. It would be Tony admitting that he cared for the boy. It would mean people would see that and take advantage of it. If anyone found out, it would put Peter in a position to be cornered in the street and asked questions. He remembered how people pretended to like him just to get his ear because they knew they could influence the company. He knew Peter would have people wanting to use him to get to Tony. And that made his stomach churn with uneasiness.

"What if he gets hurt?" Tony asked quietly.

"What do you think is going to happen if you push him away? Tony, he's a kid that has more power than he should, and he chooses to go after thieves and criminals. If he doesn't have you looking after him, he  _ will  _ get hurt, and there will be no one who will help him."

Tony knew that. He wasn't stupid enough to think that it would be better if he really pushed Peter away. With a deep sigh, he dropped his head onto Pepper's shoulder and relished the way her fingers threaded through his hair. 

"I'll tell him to come over for the weekend," Tony decided.

"I'll make sure there's real food in the kitchen, and I'll have F.R.I.D.A.Y remind you to feed the kid," Pepper told him, knowing that if they went unchecked, they wouldn't eat until one of them almost dropped from malnutrition.

~

The first hint that Tony wasn't alone was the frantic footsteps that were coming closer to the lab door. They were the unmistakable pattering of Peter's beat-up Nikes. The left shoe had a small rip in the bottom of it, which made it sound different than the right one. Tony had asked to replace the shoes but was turned down with a bashful smile and red cheeks gracing Peter's face. 

The next hint was the high pitched humming that came from the boy. The kid had a good day, Tony could tell. He only hummed like that when he had a good day. If it had been a stressful day, he was quieter, and his smile didn't shine as bright as it usually did. Thankfully, Peter was humming, and Tony hoped it had something to do with staying for the weekend. 

Before the lab door slid open, Tony swiveled around in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him. 

"Hey, Mr. Stark!" Peter called as he raced into the room. The poor kid barely stopped himself from colliding with DUM-E, who had rolled over to greet him. Peter patted DUM-E's claw and said his cursory, "Hey, buddy." 

Tony couldn't keep the smile off his face as DUM-E chirped happily, and his arm bobbed up and down in excitement. Tony loved that DUM-E liked Peter and that Peter treated his first creation with respect. Something parental-like nudged at Tony for a second before he pushed it away.

"Hey, stop bothering the kid, DUM-E. Why don't you make yourself useful and clean up that mess you made earlier," Tony said to his robot.

DUM-E beeped at him in an affronted tone. How a robot could sound affronted, Tony gave up trying to figure out. "You heard me. You broke the glass screen, so you get to clean it up. If you don't, I swear I'm going to donate you to Peter's school. I'm sure he would love to have you carrying his books for him. Oh, and don't forget your hat. You earned it this time."

"That's just mean, Mr. Stark," Peter told him. "It was probably just an accident." 

"Yeah, well. It still needs to be cleaned up, and that's what I made DUM-E for. Anyway, how was school, kid?"

Peter immediately perked up a bit at his mentor's question. He bounded over to where Tony was sitting and took his seat at the small desk that was set up for him. "It was good. Flash started to say something stupid, but MJ kind of stepped in. She made him cry."

"I knew there was something about her that I liked," Tony said with a smirk.

"Yeah. I mean, I tried to tell her she didn't need to stick up for me, but she called me an idiot and kissed me in the hallway. And, like. Wow, Mr. Stark." Peter stared wistfully past Tony.

"So, you're at the kissing stage, huh?" Tony smirked. "I take it the date went well."

"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you about it. She chose the restaurant. I think she wanted to gloat about the fact that she found a better Sushi place than the one I go to. It was super cheap, but it was so good. Then, she showed me some of her art, and that was cool."

"You got her home on time, right?" Tony asked. He knew Peter had. There wasn't a bone in the kid's body that would get someone else in trouble, even if he regularly came home late from patrol. 

"Duh, Mr. Stark."

"Good man. Did you get your stuff put away?" Peter nodded. Satisfied that he wasn't going to find Peter's belongings strewn over the living room, Tony decided to get to their lab time. "So, what do you want to work on today? What's tickling your brain?" Tony asked. There were many things Peter liked to work on, and Tony knew if the kid needed more web fluid, he would speak up and ask to make more. Sometimes, though, the kid asked to help Tony with his upgrades.

"Well, I'm good on my web fluid because I didn't really use a whole lot this week. I was kind of busy."

"With MJ?" Tony couldn't help throwing out.

"And with other things. I've been working on my science fair project all week because it's supposed to be done next Monday, and I just started this week. Which reminds me," Peter dug through his pockets until he found the small wadded up paper he was looking for. "We are having a science fair. You know, in case you wanted to come. No pressure or anything, Mr. Stark. I know you're busy. But...it would be really cool if you came. May is gonna try to be there, but she's scheduled for work that day, and you know if she can't, then I understand, but it would be nice to have someone there for me. Not that you're the only one that I can ask. I mean, you kind of are, but don't let that sway your decision. I mean, if you can't go then it's no problem, I just-"

"Breathe, Underoos," Tony cut the rambling off. "What day is it?"

Peter looked a bit sheepish as he fumbled to straighten out the paper. He crossed the room with the paper handed out to Tony. "The date, time, and place are here."

Tony felt his heart constrict slightly, and he felt the familiar pang of uncertainty fly through his veins. He knew that not taking anything from Peter wasn't something that could go on, even if his body fought with his brain in that regard. He already took a cup from Peter, so really, the line had already been crossed. There was nothing that Tony could do to salvage the damage that he probably already inflicted. He couldn't go back to a time when he didn't care about Peter. Back to a time where a high school science fair wouldn't even end up a blip on his radar. 

Tony took a second too long, and Peter's steps faltered. Hesitantly, Peter looked at Tony and lowered his hand. "Sorry, Mr. Stark. I know you don't like being handed things. I shouldn't have-" 

"Who said I don't like being handed things?" Tony asked, slightly defensive. 

Peter chuckled a bit, his nerves bleeding through the sound. "You did. I've seen interviews and stuff where you tell reporters that you don't like being handed things. And you don't really take things from anyone but Ms. Potts and Happy that I've seen. You take things from people who you trust, and I don't know, I just kind of figured, you know, we were kind of there. But it's okay, Mr. Stark. We don't have to be there yet. Sorry, I was being stupid. I just..." Peter gingerly set the paper down on Tony's desk. "I still want you to come to the science fair, but if you can't, then, that's fine. No pressure at all. I know you're busy."

"Pete, listen, kid-"

"No, seriously. It's okay. Anyway, I was thinking that we could work on something that let my suit dry out a little faster. It gets a bit uncomfortable when it rains, and then I'm stuck in a wet suit for a while. It kind of starts to chafe, and let me tell you that's not fun."

Tony let out a long breath. He knew Peter was trying to be nice and let him know there was no shame in not being comfortable with taking things from Peter. But the kid had it wrong. It wasn't that Tony didn't trust Peter, it was Tony that shouldn't be trusted. It said more about how much of an amazing kid Peter was that he didn't let the awkwardness linger. But he was blaming himself, and Tony couldn't have that. 

"First off, I don't really want to hear about any part of you that is chafing. I have to keep my conversations respectable. But we'll fix it. Don't worry, kid." 

Peter smiled a bit at Tony's words, but his smile fell when Tony straightened his back and cleared his throat. 

"Listen, Pete. I don't like the heavy stuff, so listen close because we won't do this again." Peter nodded. "You're right. I don't like to take things from people. But something you're wrong about is it's not just because I don't trust them."

"Mr. Stark, I didn't-"

Tony held up a hand. "Let me finish here. There's...okay, so here it is. For the most part, I don't take things from people because I don't trust them. But there are other people...who I care for. Who I trust with my life. But when people see that I care for them, things go wrong. And I can't have anything happen to you, kid. I refuse. So, my incredibly confusing and brilliant mind decides to panic a bit when you try to give me things. But you need to just let me work that out. It's not your fault. Capiche?"

Peter stared at Tony like he was trying to put together a rather difficult puzzle. Then, he looked down at his hands for a second before looking Tony in the eye. There was something about his gaze that made Tony's stomach twist. There was trust in Peter's eyes, and Tony knew he didn't deserve it. 

"I care about you too, Mr. Stark." Peter paused for a second before flashing Tony a smirk. "Don't worry, sir. I'll keep trying until your brain stops being stupid." 

"I expect nothing less, you little shit." Tony smiled. "Now, let's fix your chafing problem before Michelle gets wind of it. Can't have her seeing you walk strange, it might give her the wrong impression."

"Mr. Stark!"

Tony's cackle filled the lab, and he knew he would never get over embarrassing Peter. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Here it is!! The last chapter! I hope you all like this and I can say I had a lot of fun exploring this idea. Thank you for everyone who read this and enjoyed.

A moan slipped its way out of Tony's lips as he bit into the bacon cheeseburger he had been craving for two days. Pepper had been harping on him about his health, so he found himself drinking more green juice and having less junk food. Thankfully Rhodey didn't know about his restrictions and gladly agreed to go out to a small diner in the city. 

"Jeez. Tones, calm down. There are kids here, man," Rhodey scolded.

"Don't care. Too good," Tony said around his mouthful of beef. 

"What has Pepper been feeding you? It's like you haven't eaten in weeks with how you're barely breathing around the meat you're shoveling into your mouth."

"Ah, it's not Pepper's fault. Doc says my cholesterol is high, and Pep's trying to keep me kicking, so it's been all green all the time recently."

Rhodey gave Tony a sympathetic grimace. "That's tough." Something seemed to occur to him, and he glanced around as if someone were going to pop out and scare him. "Wait. Does Pepper know you're here eating this?"

Tony flashed a wide smile. "Nope," he said, letting the 'p' pop loudly. 

Groaning, Rhodey dropped his own burger and flung his head back. "If Pepper comes after me, I'm gonna kill you."

"Awe, Platypus. Don't worry, I'll take the heat. You just enjoy your burger and the insanely good company." 

"You're the worst," Rhodey said, unable to keep the smirk off his face. 

It had been a while since Tony had been able to relax with Rhodey. With everything going on with S.I. and a certain Spider kid taking up his weekends, it was hard for their schedules to match up. Ross was laying into Rhodes quite a bit since he went back to work. Tony wanted a few more months for his friend to heal, but when did he get what he wanted? 

This was the first time in about three months that their conversation wasn't purely about the Accords or the consequences of Steve's betrayal. It was nice to joke around with Rhodey, even if it was at the man's expense. Tony missed the easy-going nature of their friendship that had been one of the only strongholds in Tony's life since college. Rhodey was the first person Tony really opened up to, even if it took several drunken nights and a fistfight to make it happen. 

"So, how's the kid?" Rhodey asked as he turned back to his burger. 

"As much of a pain in the ass as he always has been. You know what he told me last weekend?"

"Oh, there's no telling."

"He said that they were watching this 'real old movie' in English class. Guess what the movie is."

"Gone with the Wind?" Rhodey guessed. 

"Nope. Get this; Titanic. Kid said Titanic was an old movie."

"Isn't there nudity in that movie?"

"Kid said they were watching an edited version of it. Basically, his teacher is skipping all the fun parts."

Rhodey shook his head slightly. "Tony, it's a high school. They can't show them that stuff. What the hell are they studying anyway?"

Tony shook his head slightly. "Romeo and Juliet. Apparently, there are undertones to their relationship in Titanic. I don't know, it sounds like the teacher is reaching and just wants to do a few movie days."

Raising his eyebrows, Rhodey seemed to think about the two stories. "You know, I can see some of it. Jack and Rose have similar traits to Romeo and Juliet. Different classes or families. They fall in love even though they shouldn't. Rose and Juliet are supposed to marry someone else. They get separated because of a crime. Oh, and a lot of people die. I buy it."

"It gives me chills that you knew all that. Please. Do it again, but slower. I wanna savor it," Tony deadpanned. 

"Shut up. My point is, I can see it. Still messed up that he thinks a movie from the 90s is a 'really long time ago'. God. It wasn't that long ago, right? It was only like 10 years ago."

"Try 20."

"Why do you hate me, Tony? Couldn't you have just let me think it was 10 years ago? Unbelievable."

"I had to suffer, and now so do you. You're welcome."

"You're a dick."

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, his phone started to ring. "Hold that thought, Honeybear."

Looking at the screen, he saw the number that he programmed for Karen. His head skipped a beat. If Karen's system was calling him, it meant the kid was in trouble. 

"Hey, kid. What's up," Tony answered. 

"Mr. Stark? Hi, um. Are you busy right now by any chance? If you are, that's totally fine. I mean, I can completely handle this...well most of the time I can. But I mean, if you are busy then-"

"Kid. What's happening?" At Tony's words, Rhodey reached into his wallet and placed a few bills onto the table. Tony was grateful for the fact that Rhodey knew they needed to go just by Tony's words and probably how his breathing changed. 

"Okay, so do you remember those drug dealers that were branching out into guns?"

"The ones I told you to stay away from? Yeah. I remember them," Tony bit out. He threw a glance at Rhodey as they bounded out of the restaurant. Tony knew F.R.I.D.A.Y. would send him and Rhodey their suits. He really needed to figure out that nanotech.

"Um. Yeah. Okay, so the important thing is that I listened to you. I didn't go looking for them. Not really. I mean, I was tracking the people who bought from them, but not them. So, really I didn't not listen to you. It really depends on what you consider-"

"I swear, if you don't start telling me what's happening, you won't need to worry about the people with guns," Tony threatened. 

"Rude."

"Kid!"

"Okay, so I was following the buyers. I figured they needed to be off the street just as much as the dealers. So I followed one of them to this warehouse district, and I heard yelling, and someone started shooting, so I had to go in and see-"

Tony was going to kill him. "So, let me get this straight. You followed people I told you  _ NOT  _ to. Then, you heard  _ GUNFIRE _ , and you decided to go in without calling anyone. Does that sound about right?"

"I mean, when you say it like that...but I promise I was careful. And I'm calling you now, aren't I?"

"I've got your location. I'm about five minutes out with Rhodey. Are you hurt?"

"Um. Not yet, really. But I'm kind of...in a situation."

"Spell it out for me. Act like I'm stupid but talk fast. What are we flying into?"

"Okay, so they have hostages. I really thought I could get to them without being seen, but I kind of didn't. They had something that made my senses go a little crazy, and I kind of passed out. I woke up a few minutes ago, and all the bad guys are gone. That's the good news."

"What's the bad news?!" Tony needed to talk with Pepper about getting her to give Peter lessons on how to be precise when he's talking. It was like pulling teeth. 

"They kind of left a bomb behind. I can't get the hostages out, so really, I just need you to come help them, and I can take care of the rest."

Tony knew his heart was going to fail one of these days because of this damn kid. "Where. Is. The. Bomb?"

Rhodey's voice cut through the coms. "Bomb? I'm sorry, did you just say bomb?"

"Apparently, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man still doesn't know how to listen, and now he's stuck somewhere with a bomb," Tony relayed. He felt a small glimmer of satisfaction when Rhodey let out a long pained sigh. 

"It's like there's two of you," Rhodey said. 

"Hey," Tony warned before turning his attention back to his idiot kid. "Peter. Where is the bomb? You are not to go  _ anywhere  _ near it. Do you understand me? You're on hostage duty."

"I mean, that does sound like a better plan than I had. But there's a little problem with that idea. I'm kind of the only thing stopping it from blowing up."

"Of course. Why would it ever be easy? Almost there, kid. Anyone left as a welcoming party?"

"No," Peter said softly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I swear, all I need help with is the other hostages, and then I can deal with the bomb."

Tony stopped himself from snapping at his kid, but he couldn't stop the scoff. With the building in his sights, Tony told F.R.I.D.A.Y. to scan the building. Satisfied with the results, Tony flew through one of the windows, letting the glass crash around him. His gauntlets were raised, poised to strike anyone who might be hiding, though he trusted his A.I. Still, you could never be too careful. 

The scene that he was greeted with made his stomach drop. Peter stood in the center of the room, far away from the group of people on the other side of the large warehouse. They were on the ground with chains around each of their wrists. It looked like they were tethered to the wall that stood next to them. There was no way to get them all out at once, there were just too many people. About twenty, if F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s calculations were correct. 

The thing that made Tony's heart skip was Peter. He was kneeling on the ground next to a device that Tony knew to be a bomb. There were cuts on his face, and he was sporting a bloody nose. Not to mention how he was curled in on himself, almost as if he couldn't sit up straight. His eyes focused on Tony, but his hands were wrapped around a small device. His knuckles were white, with how hard he was gripping the device. Tony knew he was probably trying to control his strength so he wouldn't break whatever the hell he was holding. 

Thankfully, the sound of another pane of glass shattering and the groan of Rhodey's repulsors. He motioned for Rhodey to take care of the hostages while Tony worried about Peter. 

"Hey, kid. What do you got there?"

"Um. Okay, don't freak out. So, I came in and was like 'hey you should let those people go,' and they were like 'no'. So then, they started to come at me, and I fought them. There were only like six of them, but one of them got in a good hit, and man, did that mess me up."

"Kid! The thing in your hand?" Tony asked again. He was trying not to get overly emotional about the situation, but Peter was taking too long to get to the important part. 

"Oh yeah. Well, one guy threw this at me, and I caught it because there was no way I was going to let it hit the ground. What if it blew up or something? Then I realized what he did. So, if you could get the hostages out, that would be great. Then I can let this go, and the bomb can just go off. I'm sure this place has insurance, so that won't be a problem."

"Why didn't you web it up so you don't have to hold it?"

Peter looked a bit sheepish. "I kind of ran out of web fluid during the fight. I guess we should have made more the last time I was over for the weekend. Seriously, Mr. Stark. I got this."

Tony huffed out a breath. "You are insane if you think I'm going to leave you here with something that will tear you into a million pieces. Okay, kid. Here's what's going to happen. You are going to hand over the remote, and you are going to help Rhodey. Then you are going to get as far away from here as you can."

"No, Mr. Stark. I can handle this. I'm faster than you, and if I'm not fast enough, I'll heal. It won't be the first explosion I've been in."

Tony took a second to glare at Peter. "We... are going to... _ calmly _ talk about that later. But, right now. I need you to give me the remote. Now."

"Why don't you trust me? I can do this!"

"I know you can. But you don't have to. You're right, you're faster than me. That's why I need you to help the people over there. Your job is to calm those people down and get them out. Give me the bomb, kid."

Peter looked around the room a little desperately. Something seemed to occur to him, and he turned his pleading eyes to Tony. "Mr. Stark. I thought you didn't like being handed things."

Tony's head snapped back slightly. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

"I'm just looking out for you, Mr. Stark. I know we aren't there yet. I'll be okay."

"Jesus. We're there. I'll take anything from you that you want me to, even if it's in front of the media with a sign over our heads that says that I care about you. I don't care what it is, kid. We're there. Now please give me the damn remote to the highly explosive device that you're standing next to before I have a heart attack."

Peter shifted his feet a bit before tentatively holding out the remote that he was grasping. Tony studied it for a second before saying, "Fri, give me something to work with. Can I take this without it going off?"

"If you apply pressure to the trigger while taking it, you should be fine. Once you let go, you will only have two seconds to exit the building before the device goes off. There should be enough time for you to get out of the building, but you might get caught in the blast. Chances of survival are 80%. Though the chances of you getting out without injury is far less."

"That makes me feel better," Tony mumbled. Then he raised his voice slightly, "Okay, kid. Here's what we are going to do. You are going to let me take this trigger from you, but you are not going to move your fingers until I tell you to."

Peter shook his head, and Tony could see him swallow. He knew the kid was scared, he would be stupid if he wasn't.

"Okay, here we go."

Tony maneuvered himself, so he was standing just to the side of Peter. He told Peter to release one finger at a time, and as he did, Tony replaced it with his own. It took far too long for Tony to be the one grasping the device, but when Peter was finally able to pull away from the situation, Tony let out a sigh of relief. 

"Okay, kid. Get out of here. When you guys are far enough away, I want you to let me know."

Peter nodded, "see you outside, Mr. Stark."

"Go."

Tony watched as Peter raced over to Rhodey and helped him break the last of the chains, and every step Peter got away from the bomb, left Tony's chest feeling a bit looser. Tony saw Peter talk to Rhodey, and then the man's head snapped to Tony. Rhodey lifted his faceplate and gave Tony a look that said, 'you're a dumbass' before finishing his task.

When Tony was sure they were done, he called over to them. "Alright, get out of here so I can handle this."

"Mr. Stark?" Peter asked hesitantly.

"Get out of here, kid or I swear to God-"

"It's gonna be okay. You got this."

"Thanks for the confidence. Now scram before I need to make a protocol that drags you out of here."

Tony watched as the kid bounded out of the room, and he was struck with the realization that he was alone. With a bomb. Pepper was going to kill him if he didn't move in time. 

"Fri, let me know when the kid and Rhodey are far enough away for me to let this thing go. And while you're at it, look up information about the assholes who did this. Look into the CCTV cameras if you have to. I want their names by the time we get back to the Tower."

"Got it, Boss. Might, I recommend sending a message to Dr. Cho about getting Mr. Parker some medical attention. If something were to happen, she should be on standby just in case you need medical attention as well."

"Go ahead, Fri. Let her know that she needs to take care of the kid before seeing me if I die."

"I doubt that will happen, Boss. Stop being so dramatic."

"Excuse me, I'm not being dramatic. I'm being practical. Stop with the snark, oh creation of mine."

"You love it. Also, Mr. Parker and Colonel Rhodes are far enough away from the structure for you to make your escape."

"Got it. Thanks, girl."

Tony readied himself and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

He let his faceplate engulf him before taking flight. He hovered as high as he could without putting the trigger out of the device. Then, he let the trigger drop from his fingers. His body twisted away from the offending device, and he engaged his thrusters to hopefully send him out of the correct window. He heard the blast as he made it out of the window that was already busted out, then felt the explosion engulf him in flames and pressure. 

"Shit!" Tony cursed as the shockwaves hit him, sending him flying forward. Thankfully, F.R.I.D.A.Y. was an invaluable operator of the suit and helped turn the suit on it's back just before Tony slammed into the rough asphalt. The grating of the metal of his suit scraping against the ground made Tony grateful that it wasn't his skin that made contact. 

Tony Finally came to a stop a few hundred yards away from the warehouse when he smashed into the fence wrapped around the perimeter of the facility. No amount of cushion that he had in the suit could have prepared him for the force that his head hit the edge of the helmet. His shoulder took the brunt of the damage, and he heard the sickening 'pop' of his shoulder coming out of the socket. 

Tony groaned in pain before he heard a high voice calling his name. Peter's worried face swam in front of him, and Tony realized that the kid didn't have his mask on. The distinct sound of a suit retracting signaled Rhodey coming towards him. 

"Jeez, Tones. Think you cut it close enough?"

"You know how I like to make an entrance," Tony brushed him off. 

"Mr. Stark, are you okay?" Peter asked as his hands moved in a flurry. It looked like the kid didn't know what to do with his hands. 

"Peachy. Where's your mask?"

"Oh. I just needed it off for a bit. It was kind of making it hard to breathe."

"Okay, well, you should put it back on. We don't know if someone is watching or not." Tony tried to heave himself up from the ground, but as he put pressure on his left arm, he fell back when pain shot up his arm.

"Tones, you good?" Rhodey asked as he knelt down to get a better look at Tony.

"I said I'm fine," Tony growled.

"Yeah, and I think you're full fo shit. Fri? What's wrong with him?"

F.R.I.D.A.Y., the traitor that she was, modified the volume so everyone could hear her diagnosis. "Boss has a small concussion that should be looked at. His left shoulder has been dislocated, and he has several cuts and bruises that should heal on their own. I'd recommend immediate medical attention."

"Oh yeah, you're totally fine," Rhodey snarked. 

"I'm gonna remind you of this the next time you give me crap about not telling you about an injury," Peter promised. 

"Remember what I said, kid? Don't do anything I would do. This qualifies as something I would do. So, no, you will tell me when you're injured, and you don't get to use this as a reason not too. Don't make me reprogram Karen. I'll have her call me if you sneeze too hard."

"Alright," Rhodey said. He reached down and grabbed Tony's other arm to haul him off the ground. "Stop terrorizing the kid, and let's get you to Cho. I'm sure she has some fun drugs for you while we get that shoulder popped in."

Tony grunted as he was pulled up but couldn't stop the sarcasm from dripping from his lips. "Can't be as fun as the summer of '97. That was a good time." Peter gave Tony an incredulous look, and Tony hastily added, "don't do drugs, kid."

"They probably wouldn't work on me anyway with my metabolism. I don't think I can even get drunk." Peter thought for a second. "I wonder how much I would have to drink."

"We are  _ not  _ testing that," Tony snapped. There was nothing worse than the kid following in Tony's footsteps when it came to drinking. He never wanted Peter to be as dependent on the substances that he was growing up. 

"Oh, come on. I was joking."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright, kid. Get sticky and hang on to me. We need to get to Cho, and I'm not letting you swing that far. It'll be faster if you hang onto the suit."

Peter looked about ready to jump out of his suit with excitement. "Really? You're gonna give me a piggyback ride? That's so awesome!"

"I don't give piggyback rides," Tony corrected. I'm just giving you a ride. A regular one. Not a piggyback."

Peter bounded over to Tony, ready to latch onto the suit. Before he did, though, he hesitated. "Mr. Stark?" he said lowly.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Thanks for coming for me," Peter said, his gratitude evident.

"I'll always come for you, Pete. No questions asked. I'll always come to get you," Tony didn't think he ever so much as admitted to Peter that he cared more than that moment. The emotions that he let shine though his usual snark made his throat feel like closing up a bit. 

Tony cleared his throat slightly and said, "alright. Hold on tight. Can't have you falling, or May will skin me alive."

"Boss," F.R.I.D.A.Y. said, "I have the information on the people who were responsible for the bomb. Shall I send footage to the police?"

"Yep. Make sure the assholes get picked up. If they don't, I'll take care of it." With that, Tony made one last check that Peter was secured. Then he flew off into the night, knowing Cho was going to have a field day with his injuries. 

~

Tony Stark did not do science fairs. He was too busy for anything that promised to be nothing more than a shitty volcano project. Still, Tony knew he was in for something amazing because his kid had a project. Tony didn't know what Peter was working on because the kid outright refused to tell him, but he was sure it was going to be the best. 

Tony stopped outside the school and felt the depression oozing from the place. It wasn't that Tony didn't like school. He had many good memories when he was in school that didn't necessarily have to do with academics. But Tony never got the chance to go to a traditional high school. He never got the opportunity to be a kid, and that left him feeling slightly resentful, but he pushed it down when Pepper grasped his hand. 

"You ready?" Pepper asked him. 

"Oh yeah. Can't wait to see what the kid did," Tony said. 

As they walked through the fair, Tony noticed the shocked faces of the students and parents. He vastly ignored everyone as he searched for Peter. Though, he did get some satisfaction from hearing the whispers of the excited students. Word got around fast, because suddenly a man came up to Tony with a hand outstretched. 

"Mr. Stark, it's a pleasure to have you here. I'm Principal Morita."

Tony grasped the man's hand tightly. "Yeah, hi. I'm actually looking for my intern. Could you tell me where Peter Parker is stationed?"

At this, Morita looked a bit pale. "Oh. Peter. Yes, he said something about...but I didn't think...he's right this way." The man gestured to the other side of the room. 

Tony swiftly walked towards the far end of the room, looking for the mess of brown curly hair that signified he found his kid. It didn't take long for him to see Peter standing by his table, looking around hesitantly. When Peter caught sight of Tony, his shoulders lowered, and he let out a breath. 

"Mr. Stark! Ms. Potts! You came," Peter said with a smile. "I thought you would be busy or something."

"Yeah, well, I heard there was this genius kid that had an awesome project, and I had to check it out."

Pepper smacked Tony's arm lightly. "Of course we are here, Peter. Tony said that it was a big deal for you."

Peter turned slightly red and looked at the ground. "I mean, it's not that awesome."

"I'll be the judge of that," Tony said as he glanced at the table. 

There was a display set up that had chemical formulas as well as a few cases. The cases had various examples of injuries with a sticky white substance over the wounds. It looked like a modified version of Peter's webs that were acting as an adhesive or a compress, depending on the injury.

"Are these webs with medical applications?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, well. I know that I get hurt a lot, and one day I was bleeding pretty bad, so I shot a web onto it."

"You did what?" Tony asked in horror. 

"I mean, I didn't know what else to do. So, anyway, it gave me a pretty bad chemical burn, but it stopped the bleeding. So I started thinking about a way to modify the chemical compound to account for safe use on open wounds. Basically, there are two kinds right now. One works as modified stitches that dissolve with another compound, so when the person gets to an actual doctor, they can treat them. The other one is a denser material that can act as a kind of clotting agent or a cast in case of broken bones. I mean, there are a ton of other things they could be used for, but right now, that's what I've been able to come up with."

Peter stopped and looked a bit sheepish, but Tony couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Okay, so we are 100% going to talk about why you thought shooting webs into your open wound was a good idea instead of calling me. Now, let's focus on the fact that this is probably the most impressive thing I've ever seen. Did you do this all on your own?"

"Yeah. I mean, I used the labs at school to do it mostly. I may have worked on it in your lab when I was supposed to be working on my web formula. Which, I mean, was kind of what I was doing."

Pepper cut into the conversation with a quirk of her eyebrow. "Have you thought about patenting this?"

"Oh, um. Well, I didn't think it was good enough to actually sell. I still have a lot of work to do on it."

"What about speaking with Dr. Cho about it. I'm sure she would jump at the chance to get her hands on this stuff. I have a few contacts that I can send your way, too," Pepper offered.

If the kid hadn't been blinking, Tony would think he had become petrified. 

"Really?" Peter asked. "You think it's worth all that? Are you sure you don't want to go see other people's stuff before you offer me that?"

Pepper offered him a smile. "We do have money and contacts for more than just one project. Though, I doubt there will be anything here that deserves it. But, yes, I will go look around before I leave."

Peter nodded frantically as Pepper leaned over to tell Tony that she was going to give him a minute with Peter. 

"So, is May coming tonight?" Tony asked, sitting on the edge of Peter's display table. He ignored the people around him trying to take pictures knowing F.R.I.D.A.Y. would take care of it.

"She had to pull a double, so she isn't going to get home until tomorrow morning at the earliest. It's okay, though. I know we need the money."

"Are you staying home tonight by yourself?" Tony asked. He couldn't stop the worry from gnawing at him. New York wasn't exactly safe, especially when his kid had a tendency to go out after midnight. 

"I stay home alone all the time, Mr. Stark. It's not that big of a deal," Peter said. 

Tony narrowed his eyes slightly and pursed his lips in consideration. "Why don't you just stay over at the Tower? We can give you a ride after the science fair, and we can have you home tomorrow. Or you can stay the weekend, and Hap can drop you off at school on Monday." Part of Tony wanted the kid to come over because of his safety, but another part of him simply loved being around Peter. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Peter had fully embedded himself into Tony's family like Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy had, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for the kid. 

"You don't have to-"

"No, I don't. But I want to. Come on, we can work in the lab all weekend."

Peter seemed to consider this. Tony knew the kid's aunt would let him stay over. It would just take one phone call, and they would be good to go.

"On one condition," Peter said with a small smile playing on his lips. "You don't freak out when I hand you your tools."

"I'm sorry, did you miss the part where I took a bomb from you without question? I think we've officially gotten over that particular hurdle—shame on you for bringing it up as a stipulation. But yes. That's a deal."

With Peter giving Tony a shit-eating grin, Tony couldn't help but marvel at how his life was turning out. He had a woman that he loved, a best friend that he would do anything for, another loyal friend that he would move the world for, and this kid who was the best of them all. Although Tony knew he still had a lot of work to do on himself, he acknowledged that his family was enough for him to be the best person he could be.

No, Tony Stark didn't like trusting a lot of people. But the people he trusted were some of the best on the planet, and Tony could live with that. 


End file.
